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The Rev. John W. Vest has been called to be the new Visiting Assistant Professor of Evangelism at Union Presbyterian Seminary. His work at Union will focus on engaging students in the study of evangelism, church growth and vitality, new church development and ministry among emerging generations. Vest will begin his appointment this summer.

Each year the Black Alumni/ae Association (BAA) of Union Presbyterian Seminary (UPSem) celebrates African American alumni/ae who have made significant contributions to the greater church. On April 7, 6:30 p.m., the fourth annual Trailblazers Award Ceremony and Banquet will take place on the Richmond campus in the Early Center, Lake Chapel, 1106 Westwood Ave. The event was rescheduled due to inclement weather in February.

In honor of the Bicentennial of Union Presbyterian Seminary in 2012, Rob Collins Productions was commissioned to create a film where leading Presbyterian scholars discuss the history of both dissension and reconciliation within the Presbyterian church. Dr. Condoleezza Rice, a lifelong Presbyterian, is the narrator.

Division and Reunion: A Reflection on American Presbyterianism may be ordered at www.upsem.edu/dr. A free study guide is available.

Union Presbyterian Seminary is one of 26 “Seminaries that Change the World,” according to a 2015 review by the Center for Faith and Service at McCormick Theological Seminary.

The distinction recognizes the selected seminaries and divinity schools for demonstrating great innovation in theological education as they navigate negative stereotypes about organized religion and work to expand narrow definitions of traditional ministry.

Union Presbyterian Seminary will celebrate the inauguration of Professor of Christian Education Karen-Marie Yust as the Josiah P. and Anne Wilson Rowe Professor of Christian Education. The ceremony will take place on Monday, March 16, at 7:00 p.m. in Lake Chapel, Early Center on the Richmond campus when Yust will present “Digital Formation: Online Habits and the Cultivation of Spirituality.” A reception will immediately follow.

"People worry that all the time young people spend online gets in the way of their being spiritual,” says Yust. “Yet many of the skills children and youth develop posting on social networking sites, texting, blogging and playing online games can be used to nurture spirituality. It's just a matter of repurposing activities."

In honor of the Bicentennial of Union Presbyterian Seminary in 2012, Rob Collins Productions was commissioned to create a film where leading Presbyterian scholars discuss the history of both dissension and reconciliation within the Presbyterian church. Dr. Condoleezza Rice, a lifelong Presbyterian, is the narrator.

Union Presbyterian Seminary has named Mike Frontiero as its new director of communications.

“Mike is a skilled story teller and, as we all know, Union has a wonderful story to tell,” President Brian K. Blount said. “With his leadership, we are looking forward to inspiring friends of the seminary, old and new.”

“Are theologians obliged to think within the bounds of their faith tradition,” asks John J. Thatamanil, associate professor of theology and world religions at Union Theological Seminary in New York, “or can they learn from other religious traditions?”

These and other questions of faith facing Christians in a pluralistic world will be explored on Thursday, February 26, at 7:30 p.m. in Lake Chapel, at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond. The 2015 Dawe Lecture is entitled "Caged Chickens or Free-Range Chickens? Can Christian Theologians Fly the Coop to Learn from Other Religious Traditions?"

On March 23, 2015 at 1:00 p.m., there will be a memorial service in honor of The Rev. Dr. Syngman Rhee, former Moderator of the PC(USA) and Retired Visiting Professor of Evangelism, on the Richmond campus of Union Presbyterian Seminary.

Recently, more than thirty African American deans and presidents of theological schools signed an open letter, published in The Huffington Post, regarding racial justice issues. Read letter here.

Union Presbyterian Seminary President Brian K. Blount, one of the signers of the letter, read it at the annual meeting of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) presidents and board chairs as part of the opening prayer. The presidents responded with a written statement endorsing the letter and affirming its call to action to work toward a more just world. Read statement here.

Each year the Black Alumni/ae Association (BAA) of Union Presbyterian Seminary celebrates African American alumni/ae who have made significant contributions to the greater church. On February 17, 6:30 p.m., the third annual Trailblazers Award Ceremony and Banquet will take place on the Richmond campus in the Early Center.

Leading Into the World by Professor of Worship and Preaching Paul Galbreath of Union Presbyterian Seminary is the newest focus of the Dean's Forum. It will be held Wednesday, January 21, at 4:10 p.m. in the Early Center on the Richmond campus. The Dean’s Forum on Faculty Research is an annual opportunity to focus on a major recent publication by a member of the Union Presbyterian faculty.

“Love Endures: A Christian View of Human Worth and Dementia" is a thought-provoking series presented by geriatric physician and Union Presbyterian Seminary alumnus Dr. Jim Wright (M.A.T.S. ’10). Drawing from his experience in long-term care for those with chronic debility and dementia, Wright will engage participants on the theological, medical, and ethical implications inherent in ministering to those, and to the families of those, dealing with dementia.

HOT OFF THE PRESS! Bringing Good News: 40 Stories of Congregations and the Ministries that Transformed Them celebrates innovative ministry programs around the country. It is compiled by Professor Emeritus of Christian Education Henry Simmons, Union Presbyterian Seminary, and Certified Christian Educator Rita Boyer (M.A.C.E.’10), Prospect Presbyterian Church in New Jersey. “This book is a testament to every level of leadership in congregations small and large,” says Simmons, “It recognizes these congregations’ resolve to follow God¹s lead into new, often imaginative, always responsive kinds of ministry.”

While urban pastors devote time and energy to all the typical demands of ministry, they also grapple with challenges endemic to city life. At Union Presbyterian Seminary, Richmond campus, Rev. Dr. Roger Gench (Th.M.'81; Ph.D.'86) will discuss his book Theology From the Trenches: Reflections on Urban Ministry, at 6:00 p.m. on November 18, in the Early Center. Using his experiences as a pastor in urban settings for nearly three decades, Gench will offer a close look at the challenges for both clergy and church goers that come from being involved in urban ministry.

Since its founding, Union Presbyterian Seminary professors have been instrumental in making Biblical interpretation accessible to church goers, as well as developing resources for clergy, educators, and lay leaders serving in the Church. In recent months, Sam Adams, associate professor of Old Testament , Richmond campus; Paul Galbreath, professor of worship and preaching, Richmond campus; and Rodney S. Sadler, Jr., associate professor of Bible, Charlotte campus, have all authored and contributed to works in the academic tradition of Union Presbyterian Seminary.

Associate Professor of Old Testament Samuel L. Adams has a new book out, Social and Economic Life in Second Temple Judea, published by Westminster John Knox Press. This study brings to life the socioeconomic context of the period from the end of the Babylonian exile to the destruction of the temple by the Romans (532 BCE to 70 CE).

“Instead of the Church coming to us, we’re going to the Church!” said Union Presbyterian Seminary Dean Stan Skreslet, Richmond campus. “We’re excited about Union on the Move! because it’s a way to engage personally and equip many local congregations at the same time.”

Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, VA, and Westminster John Knox Press announce the appointment of Union faculty member Samuel E. Balentine as the new editor of the book series Interpretation: Resources for the Use of Scripture in the Church.

Union Presbyterian Seminary will host seminars in Church Business Administration on its Richmond campus July 22–25 and July 28–31, 2014. These seminars are designed to equip church business administrators, administrative assistants, treasurers, pastors, and others who want to develop and enhance their skills in church business administration. Participants in the seminar will learn to manage finances, legal and tax issues, facilities and property, human resources, communication, and strategic planning.

Tuesday, May 20 at 2 p.m., Ken McFayden, dean of the Leadership Institute and professor of ministry and leadership development, will offer a webinar for The Presbyterian Outlook that explores dimensions of leadership from the perspectives of followers and following.

Dr. Heath Rada has been selected as the Union Presbyterian Seminary Distinguished Alumnus for 2014. Rada retired from the position of CEO of the Greater Richmond Chapter of the American Red Cross where he served as coordinator for the work of that organization in Virginia and the District of Columbia. He also held the positions of interim CEO of Red Cross Chapters in San Diego, Minneapolis-St. Paul, and Ft. Worth. Prior to his work with the American Red Cross, Rada served as president of the Presbyterian School of Christian Education (now Union Presbyterian Seminary) in Richmond.

Union Presbyterian Seminary announces the appointment of Dr. Marianne Blickenstaff as managing editor of Interpretation: A Journal of Bible and
Theology, a premier quarterly journal published by the seminary since 1946.

Since 1991, 105 churches in 28 states and the District of Columbia have received Union Presbyterian Seminary Congregational Leadership Awards. Each congregation is awarded $1000 for their work in innovative ministry.

April 7, 2014 – Richmond, VA - Bridging the gap between young adults and the church is one goal of a ground-breaking program being developed by Union Presbyterian Seminary, the Presbytery of the James, and Second Presbyterian Church in Richmond, Virginia.

Professor Emeritus of Hebrew and Old Testament Interpretation S. Dean McBride, Jr. is the keynote speaker for Union Presbyterian Seminary’s 103rd annual Sprunt Lecture Series, May 5, 6, and 7, on the Richmond campus. Dr. McBride will be addressing the emergence of the issue that has occupied western theological discourse since Hellenistic antiquity: Is the God who is self-disclosed by name in Jewish and Christian scriptures identical with the anonymous, all-encompassing ‘One God’ of Greco-Roman philosophical theology? Among McBride's particular interests in biblical scholarship are pentateuchal laws and theology and the history of ancient Israelite religion in its Near Eastern context.

Frances Taylor Gench, Herbert Worth and Annie H. Jackson Professor of Biblical Interpretation, is a fifth-generation Presbyterian minister. She was featured in an article on the PC(USA) website seeking to lift up and celebrate women throughout the church.

On February 17, at 7:30 pm, in Lake Chapel at Union Presbyterian Seminary, Joshua Ralston, instructor of theology, will offer the 2014 Dawe Lecture. His lecture will examine the question of Jesus—particularly Christian claims that he is the Word of God made flesh—within Christian-Muslim dialogue.

Katie Geneva Cannon, Annie Scales Rogers Professor of Christian Ethics, was named the inaugural Sankofa Scholar in Black Church Studies at Candler School of Theology, serving as visiting distinguished faculty at Emory University.

Celia K. Luxmoore has rejoined the community at Union Presbyterian Seminary as advancement director for the Richmond campus. Luxmoore previously worked at Union-PSCE as director of marketing resources and director of communications from 1984-1992. She left to become director of development at Vancouver School of Theology, a multidenominational seminary in Canada, for five years.

Since 1991, Union Presbyterian Seminary has awarded Congregational Leadership Awards for innovative ministry to 101 PC(USA) congregations in 28 states and the District of Columbia. Each of the eight awards carries a $1000 prize to support the congregation in its ministry. For more information and/or to apply for one of these awards, download the brochure and application form from our website—www.upsem.edu//congregational_awards/. You may also request an electronic application from April Swofford at academicdeanoffice@upsem.edu or 1-800-229-2990, ext 231. The deadline for the 2014 awards is February 15, 2014.

Union Presbyterian Seminary will host Seminary for a Day on September 28, on the Richmond campus at 3401 Brook Road. The event will include keynote speakers, a variety of workshops by seminary professors, and a taste of theological education. It intends to offer new perspectives and resources for a variety of church leaders and members.

Byassee is the keynote speaker for the 2013 Faith Seeking Understanding event presented by Union Presbyterian Seminary at Charlotte Campus. His presentation on Sunday October 20, 4:00-5:30 p.m., “Reading the Bible with the Whole Church,” is inspired by the Christian apologist Giblert K. Chesterton’s assertion that “tradition is the democracy of the dead.”

Union Presbyterian Seminary congratulates Stanley H. Skreslet, academic dean of the Richmond campus, as the recipient of the 2012 Book Award for Excellence in Missiology for his book, Comprehending Mission: The Questions, Methods, Themes, Problems, and Prospects of Missiology (Orbis in 2012). The award was the first of its kind issued by the American Society of Missiology (ASM).

For the 22nd year, Union Presbyterian Seminary has granted the Congregational Leadership Awards to churches who have shown leadership in developing new and effective ministries. As a national program, the awards of $1,000 each have been given to congregations in 28 states, touching the lives of thousands of individuals. Among the criteria for selecting award recipients is the realization of significant change in the congregation as a result of the initiative. In times of budget decreases, declining memberships, and competition for time and resources of congregants, the 2013 Congregational Leadership Awards winners have proven that the church is still a vital force in the daily lives of those who seek God.

Union Presbyterian Seminary will hold a Service of Thanksgiving and Remembrance in memory of Professor Emeritus Dr. Paul John Achtemeier, Professor Emeritus Dr. Donald G. Dawe, and Professor Emeritus of Bibliography Dr. John Boone Trotti. The service will be on May 1, 2013 at 4 p.m. in Watts Chapel, 3401 Brook Road, in conjunction with the 2013 Sprunt Lectures.

Union Presbyterian Seminary will open a new bookstore as it takes over the campus bookstore location from Cokesbury, the retail division of United Methodist Publishing House. The store will open to the public on Wednesday, April 24th at 12 pm. There will be a grand opening sale May 2-4, including a reception and book signing event on May 2, in Belk Center - adjacent to the bookstore - on the Richmond campus, from 4:00-6:00 pm. The 2013 Sprunt lecturer E. Brooks Holifield, Professor Emeritus of the Candler School of Theology, as well as members of the UPSem faculty, will be featured.

The free conference event, Emancipation’s Unfinished Agenda: What Shall I Tell My Children Who Are Black?, will take place on April 11 and 12 at Ginter Park Presbyterian Church. Keynote speaker Dr. Mercy Amba Ewudziwa Oduyoye, the former deputy general secretary of the World Council of Churches (1987-1994) and initiator of the Circle of African Women Theologians, is considered to be the premier theologian on African Women’s theology, missiology and culture. The preacher for the community-wide reception, book signing, and opening service on Thursday evening is the Rev. Dr. Suzan “Sujay” Johnson Cook, founder and CEO of Woman’s Wisdom Worldwide. Rev. Dr. Sujay is known as the “pastor of Wall Street.” Oduyoye and Johnson, along with Drs. Emilie M. Townes, Kelly Brown Douglas, Rosetta E. Ross, Gay Byron, Eboni Marshall-Turman, and the Reverend Michelle Watkins-Branch, will address effective ways to demystify prevailing socio-cultural amnesia in relations to the emancipation of all peoples, including religious freedom, human rights, and liberation from subjugation.

Union Presbyterian Seminary has been awarded a $250,000 grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. in support of the seminary’s new Church-Serve Initiative. The program is designed to address the economic challenges facing ministers who accept first calls in small churches with limited budgets.

Trustee Agnes W. Norfleet (M.Div.'86) began her ministry on Feb. 3 as the new pastor at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, a 2600-member congregation that is now the largest church in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to be headed by a woman. In her new role at Bryn Mawr, Norfleet will be responsible for leading worship and preaching; moderating the church’s governing body, the Session; and serving as the head of staff, which includes four other pastors. A Service of Installation for the Rev. Dr. Norfleet will take place during worship on April 7 at 10 a.m.

The Leadership Institute has received a grant from the PC(USA) for a small church workshop in the fall of 2013. The grant allows Union Presbyterian Seminary to offer this workshop at a significantly reduced cost for participants.

Joshua Ralston is the newest member of the Union Presbyterian Seminary faculty and joins the community as instructor of theology in January 2013. Trained as a systematic theologian, Ralston brings a deep expertise in interfaith issues, Muslim-Christian dialogue, and human migration as a matter for theological reflection. Much of his teaching and research, Ralston writes, concerns “the challenge of faithfully articulating and creatively re-thinking Christian claims about God and the world in light of scripture, the history of Christian thought, other religious traditions (especially Islam), and the shifting socio-political landscape of the 21st century.”